


Cat's Eyes

by Nyssa Ainley (Rumpels_Darker_Dearie)



Series: The Lost Time Lord Chronicles [1]
Category: Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Alien Technology, Alien Zooology, Dopplegangers, F/M, Mind Control., Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-03-12
Packaged: 2019-11-15 06:02:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18067940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rumpels_Darker_Dearie/pseuds/Nyssa%20Ainley
Summary: WHEN Sarah-Jane dies Dorothy McShane goes to Bannerman road the same day the 11th Doctor tries to reunite with his old travelling buddy. What he does not know take into account is that Dorothy McShane has also grown older - no longer wishes to blow things up - and wears sunglasses. even in winter - but why?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is the start of an old story I wrote years ago but now wish to put on A03.

**This is Fanfiction based on the world of Doctor Who. The franchise belongs to the BBC and not to me. I do not own any of the characters in this story. I am not selling this to any publisher or agent.**

 

**Prologue**

A heeled black shoe stepped onto the pavement. Soon it was met by a matching shoe. The man could not look away as his eyes swept up the lovely shaped legs covered in a pair of sheer tights. A short black skirt followed that. Matching jacket that was done up. The collar of a white blouse peeking out with a gold name pendant accessorising the outfit. Finally, he saw her face. Bright red lipstick accentuating a full pair of lips. Almost matching the red of the car. A shiny chestnut coloured bob framed pale cheeks. He sighed as he leant against his lawnmower. Shame the eyes were covered with a dark pair of sunglasses. It was not even that sunny. What the man admired the most was the shining red car. Never got that in Bannerman road. The woman glanced up to the roof of the house and stared at the ‘For Sale’ sign. Taking her phone out of the pocket she punched in a few keys and held it up to her ear.

“I’m here!” she exclaimed. “Where is the agent?”

“I am sorry, Madam. The agent has been called away. Emergency business.”

“Do you know who I am?”

“Yes, Madam … er … Miss … no Ms …”

“Well,” she sighed squaring her shoulders. “I suppose I can peer in the windows at least!”

Abruptly she ended the call and placed the phone back in her pocket. A slight flutter of her heart that she had not felt for a long time happened. The same flutter that always beat when she was travelling with … No, she must not think of that. Of him! That always led to her feeling depressed. Depression had set in quite a lot recently. She had seen the Daleks. She remembered the Master … shuddering she walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. She had no understanding of this gesture but somehow it felt right. After all, this once belonged to a kindred spirit. One she had been tracking down for so long only to find out she had died.

Psychiatrists tried to help her with her problems but could not understand. Alien Invasions did not happen every day and when they did the Government managed to lie to the British populace. How she wished she could strangle their naivety. And how she wished that she could … No! Must. Not. Think. Of. Him! Maybe it was not such a good idea coming here.

_Creak_ … What was that? The door opened. How could the door open with no one here? Never mind, she had seen worse things than that in her time. A few moments later she was standing in the hallway. _Nothing scarier than an empty house_ , she thought. Taking slow and steady steps she saw only scraps of who had lived here before. The living room was well-sized. As was the kitchen.

The stairway was neither too long nor too short. Keeping her hand on the banister to steady her nerves as she approached the second set of stairs. The ones that led to the attic. Something inside her told her to skip the bedrooms. Again, as if reading her thoughts, the door opened. Exactly the same feeling entered her chest. She wondered if she would need one of her chill pills.

Trepidation entered into her heart as she climbed those last few stairs and entered the empty attic. Heart leapt into her throat as she decided, probably stupidly, that she should close the door. Still, as _he_ would say, humans! Stop it! she chided herself. Stop thinking of him. No!

Then she turned around. She backed up against the closed door. Throat tightened. Panicking she fumbled behind her for the handle. No, not that. Anything but that! Stupid, stupid girl. You knew something was wrong. Why? No she had to get away. She was hallucinating again. She must be.

“Hello!” a rather chirpy voice sounded out. “Ah! You made it! I am just coming out now. Glad you are here. Just how I planned.”

“Who are you?” she stammered. “I am Dorothy McShane. Who are you?”

The door of the Police box opened. “No you’re not,” the voice said. “You’re Ace!”

“I am _Dorothy McShane_. Even my oldest friends stopped calling me that!”

A man stepped out. Or he looked like a man. “I mean it," she said. "Who are you? What on _earth_ are you wearing?”

“It’s a bowtie. I wear bowties now.”

“Come on, who are you?”

“You must remember me. I’m the Doctor!”

“No you’re not! The Doctor was shorter, had a slightly Scottish accent, wore a vest covered in question marks, carried an umbrella, wore white and a hat!”

“A fez or a stetson?”

“Neither!”

The man rolled his eyes … then smiled. “Ah, yes. You knew me in my seventh regeneration. I am now in my Eleventh manifestation. Sorry, maybe I should have told you I changed. Now, Ace I need you!”

“My _name_ is Dorothy McShane. Miss McShane to anyone younger than twenty!”

“Oh, Ace, that is so cute. You think I am younger than twenty.”

“Dorothy McShane.”

“Oh, but I preferred Ace.”

“No you didn’t, or he didn’t … you … he … always called me Dorothy. Now I agree with you … no … him!” The man approached her. Instantly she whipped out a device. “One step closer and I shall tazer you where you stand and get you arrested.”

“Okay,” he said. Then he looked at her. “Oh, yuck! I just realised you got all older!” sweeping his gaze he said, “and you got … curvey stuff going on! You never had that!”

“Yes I did. I always have. What about _you_? if you are him then you look like you were born from a scarecrow cross-between a geography teacher!”

“Hey! That’s a bit personal!”

“So is saying I got older and got curves. I always have … Okay, I know a way to settle this.”

“Yes?”

Dorothy lost her fear and stepped forwards. “I want to see that sweater!”

“What?”

“That vest you wore. I want to see it!”

“But I …”

“No excuses. You _really_ want me to believe you are the Prof then you find that vest - I know he had an extensive wardrobe - surely if you are him you still got it somewhere. Oh, come on, it is not like I am asking you to put on the entire outfit.”

“You have changed. You’ve become my mother!”

Sulkily he stepped back in the TARDIS. Somehow she could hear his muttering and it made her laugh. A few moments later he stepped out wearing the sweater, the hat and the umbrella.

“I only asked you to put the blinking vest on?”

“Did I really wear this?”

“Inseparable.”

“It itches!”

“The hat and the umbrella. Oh umbrella! I wished to find one like you!”

“Never thought I’d hear you go ga-ga over an umbrella. Why are you wearing sunglasses?”

“Never mind,” her tone softened. She glanced up. “You are? Really? The Prof!”

“I hated that you know!”

“No you didn’t. Secretly you were pleased. It meant I was impressed with all your knowledge.”

“Look, now I am wearing this darned thing and you have seen the umbrella. You must realise I am the Prof?”

“Okay,” she was choked with emotion. Her hands shook with joy. “You are. Only …”

“Yes?”

“Why the bowtie?”

“Ace, it is good to see you again. I have missed you!”

“All right, you knew I was coming. Why are you here?”

“I came to see Sarah-Jane. Has she moved?”

Dorothy removed her glasses. “You … you don’t know?”

“Don’t know what?”

“Sarah-Jane is dead. Died in the line of fire.”

The Doctor stared into her face. Once the situation was fully comprehended he grabbed hold of her. Tears welling in his dark eyes darkening them still. Just as suddenly he let go and stared into her eyes.

“What is that?” he asked quietly.

“Don’t you remember?” she asked. “I have to wear sunglasses. Part of the scars of travelling with you!”

“Travelling … yes, travelling … with … ME! Come on, Ace, lets go!”

“I can’t! I have responsibilities.”

“Yuck. Not only older, curvier … you’ve also got sensibler … is that even a word. Never mind!”

“I run charities, earth needs me. Come on, Prof. As you said I am older. I don’t have the energy for this life anymore.”

“He who is tired of London is tired of life!” The Doctor replied as he yanked her in the TARDIS.

“What have you done to her? You poor thing.”

“The TARDIS had to reboot herself sometime ago. She’s been like this for awhile. I wished you were someone new so that I could impress you.”

“We’ll see, scarecrow!”

“Oi!”

Dorothy giggled. She felt exhilarated for coming back into the TARDIS. Like a wonderful restorative cup of camomile tea she felt rejuvenated.

“Hold on, Ace. Best take those heels off.”

“Oh, Prof. It’s good to be back.”

The Doctor grinned. “I do not care who you are on Earth... in the TARDIS you are Ace. Don’t you forget it!”

Sighing she leaned against the console and grinned back. “All right, Prof. Whatever you say!”

With his hand on the lever he looked directly in her eyes: “Ready?”

“Ready!”

Laughing for the first time in years she yelled out yes as the TARDIS made that wonderful, vworping sound. The sound she had been waiting to hear for the best part of twenty years.

Boy, was she ready.


	2. Meet The Missus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> River Song shows up, thus making Dorothy jealous.

**Meet The Missus**

Once the TARDIS had steadied herself Dorothy smiled.  “Right, is the tea still going cold or have you actually fixed the kettle?”

The Doctor was fiddling with something underneath the console.  Mumbling to himself about always having missing bits lying around.  Dorothy sighed, rolling her eyes, he had not changed, and, rather touchingly, he had kept the sweater on.  “I suppose the Kitchen is still in the same place, Prof?”

“Ugh!” he shuddered.  “How have you been coping?”

Shaking her head she walked out of the control room to find the kettle.  Hoping that someone sensible had been making sure that the food cupboards were full and the tea topped up.  She was not surprised that now he had managed to whisk her away his attention was back onto the TARDIS. The Kitchen was not in the same place.  Instead it was a library with a swimming pool. “Shame I forgot my costume.”

“What was that?” he said behind her causing her to jump.

“I thought you were busy in the control room!” she snapped as she thumped him on the arm.

“Ow,” he said as he rubbed it.  “What are you looking for?”

“I need a cup of tea!”

“Tea … right.  Come on,” he grabbed her hand and led her down the winding maze of the TARDIS.

“Will you stop yanking my arm!  I like it there you know.”

“Sorry,” he said letting go.  “Just I am so pleased you’re back on board.”

“One adventure!” she said.

“One?”

“One!”

“How boring!  I remember you could not even be bothered to talk to your mother at one time.”

Huffing about how people change he turned on his heel and led her to where she wanted to go.  She followed behind him. 

“The Kitchen!” he exclaimed at last.

Dorothy peered in and walked in.  Checking every cupboard for food, there were some things in there.  The kettle. Cheap but at least it worked with one flick of the switch. Clearly Gallifreyan technology did not extend to kettles. 

“Okay, you have supplies.  Good, I can’t go a day without a cup of tea.”

“Satisfied?”

“Yes,” she said.  

“Okay,” a smile played upon his lips.  “Now, I got a surprise for you.”

Dorothy slumped against the cupboards.  “I came here to get a cup of tea, want one?”

“Yes, just that …”

“Have you got ants in your pants or something?  It can wait,” picking up the kettle she took it to the sink and filled it with water.  Thankfully it was one of those really fast kettles. She barely had time to find a mug and a tea bag before it finished.  Once the mug was filled and tea bag disposed of, she took a sip and bathed in its glory, “tea! Well, now you can show me. Remember I can’t run.”

“We are going to have to cure you of this boringness thing you’ve become you know!”

“I have not got boring.”

“Oh yes you have.  Boring. Dorothy Boring McShane!”

“As opposed to Scarecrow?  Look, Prof, you’re a fine one to talk.  You’ve changed too remember. All I’ve I done is get older and wiser.  You seem to have become younger and sillier!”

“You can take those sunglasses off you know!” he said quickly changing the subject.  

“I can’t … I don’t understand.  It only started up in the past few years.  But the only way I can control it is if I keep the sunglasses on.  You know as well as I do what could happen if I can’t control it.”

“The past few years?”

“Since that Harold Saxon debacle.  I saw it you know. I did not need to be made to believe.  I knew you. I summoned your image in my head and all the adventures came flooding back.  I must have been holding them in. Damming them up. Then, well … I noticed my eyes glowing again.  How, Doctor?”

The Doctor stopped and frowned.  Harold Saxon. The Master as it really turned out to be.  Surely he … No. She only called him Doctor when she was truly worried.

“I … don’t … know.  Did you know who Harold Saxon was?”

Dorothy shrugged her shoulders.  “Someone nasty.”

“Someone nasty!” he mimicked.  “That was The Master!”

“THE …”

Then the TARDIS shuddered. They lost their grip and Dorothy spilled some of her tea.  “Damn!”

An agonised sound echoed down the hall.  The lights flashing on and off down the corridor.  

“Oh no!” he ran to the console room.  

“Great! Definitely back in the TARDIS.  Can’t even have a cup of tea now.”

With regret she abandoned the beverage and took her heels off and chased after him. Crashing through she rushed straight to the controls.  “What do you want me to do?”

“That’s the spirit Ace, pull that blue lever down.  Right now … lets see what is going on outside,” he switched the screen on and pressed in some more buttons.  Twisting some taps to get a good picture quality. “Uh-Oh?”

“I hate the Uh-Oh’s!”

“Ah! This is not going to go down …”

“Hello sweetie!  Guess what... I’m almost outside.  Be a pet and open the door for me!”

“Who is that?”

The Doctor turned around and looked guilty.  “Er, I’ll explain later!”

Dorothy slammed down a big red button and the doors opened.  “Explain now!”

“Phew,” the same voice said.  “It’s flippin’ cold out there.  Hello sweetie!”

“Don’t you ‘Hello sweetie’ the Prof!”

“Erm …”

To Dorothy’s shock she saw the strange woman saunter up to the Doctor and grab him by the jumper lips puckered ready for a kiss.  Dorothy charged in and pushed her away.

“I do not know who you are but the Prof does not care for that!”

“And who are you?”

“Dorothy McShane, an old friend of the Prof’s.  Who do you think you are?”

“Ladies …”

“I am his wife.  So, if I …”

“His WIFE?  He’s not married.  Not the marrying kind.”

“I am …”

“Stay back!” Dorothy snarled.  

“Dorothy … Dorothy … You never told me of a Dorothy, honey.”

The Doctor cringed. “He hasn’t mentioned you yet either.”

“Not shocked.  It is his absent-mindedness that attracts me to him.  That and he just loves a bad girl.”

Dorothy appraised the woman before her.  Wild frizzy hair. Big eyes. Big lips. Big everything!  “You look old enough to be his mother!”

“Look, I don’t know when it was when you knew the Doctor but a lot has been going on since then.  I am his wife. Tell her sweetie.”

Dorothy turned around to see his expression whilst he was making his excuse.  “Erm, yes. I’m afraid that she  _ is _ , but she  _ is _ and  _ it is _ a long story.”

“I wasn’t good enough? Sarah-Jane not good enough?  Peri? Mel? Tegan? None of us good enough for you? You had to marry that Charles the Second reject!”

“Hey!”

“Ace …”

“Don’t bother!” she stormed out.  “Seems you two got the room to yourselves!”

Slamming the door behind her the Doctor jumped then turned on the intruder.  “Oh, you do know how to make an entrance don’t you, River?”

“Who is she?”

“Ace.  She was with me in my seventh …”

“Ah, that is why you’re wearing the jumper.”

“You don’t seem to mind.”

“No, I know you care for others.  They all loved you, you know. Loved you deeply.  It seems that she cared about you in a way that you can never feel for her.”

“I best go find her!”

“No, you stay here.   _ I’ll _ find her.”

The Doctor hung onto the controls.  Why? Why did River have to turn up now?  What did she want  _ this _ time?  Moodily he punched some useless buttons and then kicked the chair.  He had been looking forward to being the old Doctor again. One that did not involve domesticity then  _ she _ has to turn up and ruin things.  He cared for River too and technically they were married he supposed but … sometimes he wished he could kill her as soon as look at her. He hated how the timelines were always mixed up.  Emotions were too mixed up. 

<1>

River found Dorothy curled up on the floor in tears.  “I would have killed for him you know. Anything for him!”

“Yeah, he does that.  Makes people care for him.”

“He did NOT MAKE ME CARE FOR HIM.  In fact I owed him. I owe him a lot …  Once, just once, I wanted him to kiss me.  See me as a woman instead of the teenager I was.  Did he? No. In fact, he was the only man I ever trusted.  Some of us married and found happiness … I couldn’t. I kept comparing them to HIM.”

“Okay,” River sighed sitting down on the opposite side of the floor.  “Look, it is complicated between him and me, but I do feel the same. I would kill for that man.  In fact I have.”

Dorothy took her sunglasses off to let the tears fall more freely, staining her cheeks with the mascara and eyeliner.  Rubbing her eyes sore. River peered closer at those eyes. The gold tinge made her cringe. Something almost awful had happened to this girl.  To River she was a girl.

“Don’t look me in the eyes.  Not if you value your sanity,” she sniffed and replaced the sunglasses.

“I am sure he did like you.  It is evident in the fact that you travelled with him meant something at least.  He wouldn’t let anyone on board the TARDIS.”

“Yeah,” Dorothy snorted.  “Not intelligent enough to be his wife.”

“Ace,” his voice sounded.  “Look, that surprise I mentioned.  Here...” he threw down something. 

“My knapsack?” the Doctor nodded.  She opened it up. “Empty though. Of course, you did not like my little hobby!”

River looked at the Doctor. “She made her own explosives.”

“My kind of girl!” River said.  “Respect. So, you were a bit of a bad girl too?”

The Doctor rolled his eyes as he helped Dorothy up.  “There is something else.”

Dorothy allowed him to lead her.  Some of the fight had gone out of her.  She missed the labyrinthine corridors with doors leading to who-knows-what.  River followed behind her. Of course she was not jealous of his previous friends.  Theirs was not your typical marriage after all. They stopped at a door much like any others.  

“Open it,” he said. She pushed down the handle.  What she saw made her gasp. “Your room. Kept how it was in the hope … I hadn’t forgotten you.  Do not think I never cared for you, Ace. I always have. In fact, Ace just about sums you up.”

Dorothy walked through the door and stared around at all the eighties posters … The Cure! Wow.  All her old clothes. She flung open the cupboard and found her jacket there. Some of her books and … “My diary?”

The Doctor nodded.  “I have not read it.”

“Okay,” she sighed.

“Now it is my turn to leave you two alone.”

River turned around and shut the door behind her.  She could trust him after all. Although the niggling doubt of the condition of her new friend’s eyes kept gnawing at her mind.  She went to the console room to look up Dorothy McShane in the data-banks. What she read astonished her. She did go through some weird things.  No wonder she loved him. “That man!” She came up to the event labelled under Survival. The Master … Cats … Hunted becoming the hunter … what was …

Bang!  _ Crash _ ! Vworp-vworp! Klaxon’s sounding.  Lights flashed. They had landed and the TARDIS did not like where they had.  She seemed to be resenting the thud. No one had been listening to her. She also sensed something about this place.  Something that sent her whirly nuts all a-jitters.

“You all right, old girl?”

“What is happening?” Ace asked she had looked as polished as ever.  Not a hair out of place. Definitely a seasoned traveller then.

“I’m finding out where we are,” River said.  “please show.”

The Doctor skidded to her side and pressed the same knobs and buttons as before.  Ace calmly walked to his other side.

“Biblogia,” the Doctor breathed, “an entire planet dedicated to learning and philosophy.  All species that show signs of cleverness are called here.”

“That leaves me out then,” Ace said.  

“You have raised billions for charity, you’re not stupid!  You’re Ace don’t you forget it!”

“Well,” River said.  “Finally a planet where you won’t be able to show off!”

“Play nice,” Ace giggled at the Doctor’s hurt expression.  “You can take that sweater off now by the way, you’ve convinced me.”

“Don’t want to now,”  he sulked.

River opened the doors and they stepped out into some sort of big Kew Gardens like area.  It was humid, huge plants and water falling somewhere. Alien plants, alien insects. 

“I really missed this,” Ace said.

They wondered around the maze hedged by tropical flora from Mars.  Sniffing aroma’s that, on Earth were tepid, but here they came alive.  Seeing pink frogs and blue spider-like things bought it all back for her.  How could she have given this up?

Suddenly, a man jumped out from behind a really freaky looking Palm tree.  A man that was rather non-descript in appearance. He was wearing light brown overalls, an ordinary pair of shoes and had thinning, blonde hair.  There was something unusual about this man. Something too smooth around the face. Eyes sharing no emotion whatsoever. 

“Scanning …” he said in an androgynous voice.

“Who are you?”

“That is my question.  I am known as the Care Taker.  Who are you?”

Ace and the Doctor exchanged looks.  “A robot?”

“I am the Care Taker.  You are trespassing on university grounds.  I shall now scan all three of you and then transcribe the data to the Ultimate Professor.”

“Ultimate …”

Suddenly a red glow filled the room.  Lines juddering up and down as they were being ‘transcribed’.

“Data scanned.  Ultimate Professor shall be informed.”

 

<2>

Up in a dark room sat the Ultimate Professor of Biblogia.  “Oh yes,” he said. “Oh, Doctor, what have you done with yourself … and … oh … interesting.”

Raising a dark bejewelled wrist he punched in some co-ordinates.

 

<3>

“The Ultimate Professor is on his way here!”

“Look, Care-Taker,” River said.  “We came here to learn. We are honest students.”

“The Ultimate Professor is here!”

“There?” Ace demanded.

“Right behind you.”

They all turned round slowly.  “Oh this is marvellous,” the Doctor said.

“That’s one word for it,” Ace replied.


End file.
